No Terrorist Enclave in South-West – DHQ

The Defence Headquarters has dismissed claims of a terrorist base in the South-West, assuring Nigerians that ongoing operations are focused on rescuing abducted victims and neutralising criminal elements.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, made the clarification in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to him, current intelligence does not support claims of any established or structured terrorist base in the South-West region.

“The incident in Oyo State remains an isolated criminal act and does not indicate the presence of an entrenched insurgent structure in the region,” Onoja said.

“The Armed Forces caution against narratives capable of creating unnecessary panic or emboldening criminal elements.”

Onoja said the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, extended condolences to the government and people of Oyo State, and to the families of victims affected by the recent attack on schools in the Oriire Local Government Area.

He declared that the Armed Forces were using all available resources to guarantee the safe and unconditional rescue of the innocent children and staff, calling their kidnapping abhorrent.

“The full weight of the Armed Forces is being brought to bear to ensure the safe return of all abducted victims,” he said.

The defence spokesman disclosed that troops had already made contact with the perpetrators and were pursuing them across forest corridors.

According to him, the military had already neutralised criminal elements operating in the Old Oyo National Park through a thorough clearance operation.

Joint operations involving other security agencies and local vigilantes were ongoing to flush out criminal elements and restore normalcy, he added.

Onoja urged Nigerians to remain calm and united and to continue supporting security agencies with credible information, noting that human intelligence from residents would aid ongoing rescue efforts.

“The Armed Forces will not relent until all abducted victims are rescued and those responsible are brought to justice,” he said.